Federal Register / Vol. 89, No. 246 / Monday, December 23, 2024 / Rules and Regulations 104393 

(iii) The recordkeeping system used to 

document purchases of nonorganic 

materials, including a summary of the 

type(s) and total amount of each 

nonorganic material used in mushroom 

substrate. 

(3) Wood chips, sawdust, logs, or 

other materials derived from wood that 

have not been treated with a prohibited 

substance after harvest; 

(4) Nonsynthetic substances, except 

those on the National List of 

nonsynthetic substances prohibited for 

use in organic crop production 

(§ 205.602); and 

(5) Synthetic substances on the 

National List of synthetic substances 

allowed for use in organic crop 

production (§ 205.601). 

(d) Mushroom spawn must be organic: 

Except, that, nonorganic mushroom 

spawn may be used to produce an 

organic crop when an equivalent 

organic mushroom spawn is not 

commercially available. 

(1) Organic mushroom spawn 

requirements. 

(i) Agricultural materials used as 

mushroom spawn media must be 

organic: Except, that, nonorganic wood 

materials in compliance with paragraph 

(c)(3) of this section are allowed. 

(ii) Mushroom spawn media may 

contain materials allowed in mushroom 

substrate at paragraphs (c)(1), (4), and 

(5) of this section. 

(iii) Organic mushroom spawn must 

be under continuous organic 

management after the mycelium is 

applied to the mushroom spawn media. 

(2) Organic mushroom operations that 

produce their own mushroom spawn for 

their own organic mushroom 

production must use organic 

agricultural materials for mushroom 

spawn media, unless a functionally 

equivalent organic agricultural material 

is not commercially available: Except 

that, wood materials in compliance with 

paragraph (c)(3) of this section are 

allowed. 

■ 4. Amend § 205.270 by adding 

paragraph (d) to read as follows: 

§ 205.270 Organic handling requirements. 

* * * * * 

(d) In addition to the substances 

described in paragraph (b) of this 

section, substances allowed under 

§ 205.603(d)(2) and (3) may be used in 

or on pet food intended to be sold, 

labeled, or represented as ‘‘organic’’ or 

‘‘made with organic (specified 

ingredients or food group(s)),’’ pursuant 

to § 205.301(b) and (c). Pet food must be 

labeled pursuant to subpart D of this 

part. 

■ 5. Amend § 205.601 by revising 

paragraphs (i) introductory text and (j) 

introductory text to read as follows: 

§ 205.601 Synthetic substances allowed 

for use in organic crop production. 

* * * * * 

(i) As crop disease control. 

* * * * * 

(j) As crop or soil amendments. 

* * * * * 

■ 6. Amend § 205.605 by redesignating 

paragraphs (b)(36) and (37) as 

paragraphs (b)(37) and (38), respectively 

and adding new paragraph (b)(36) to 

read as follows: 

§ 205.605 Nonagricultural (nonorganic) 

substances allowed as ingredients in or on 

processed products labeled as ‘‘organic’’ or 

‘‘made with organic (specified ingredients 

or food group(s)).’’ 

* * * * * 

(b) * * * 

(36) Taurine—for use only in pet food. 

* * * * * 

Erin Morris, 

Associate Administrator, Agricultural 

Marketing Service. 

[FR Doc. 2024–30211 Filed 12–20–24; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE P 

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 

Food and Nutrition Service 

7 CFR Parts 247, 250, 251, 253, and 254 

[FNS–2023–0026] 

RIN 0584–AE92 

Food Distribution Programs: 

Improving Access and Parity 

AGENCY: Food and Nutrition Service 

(FNS), U.S. Department of Agriculture 

(USDA). 

ACTION: Final rule; correction. 

SUMMARY: The Food and Nutrition 

Service is correcting a final rule that 

appeared in the Federal Register on 

October 31, 2024. The document makes 

access and parity improvements in 

USDA’s food distribution programs to 

support access for eligible populations 

and streamline requirements for 

program operators. 

DATES: Effective December 30. 2024. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Gregory Walton, Program Analyst, Food 

Distribution Policy Branch, 

Supplemental Nutrition and Safety 

Programs, U.S. Department of 

Agriculture’s Food and Nutrition 

Service, 1320 Braddock Place, 3rd Floor, 

Alexandria, Virginia 22314 at 703–305– 

2746 or Gregory.Walton@usda.gov. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: In FR Doc. 

2024–24966 appearing on page 87228 in 

the Federal Register of Thursday, 

October 31, 2024, the following 

corrections are made: 

■ 1. § 247.5 [Corrected] 

On page 87244, in the third column, 

in amendatory instruction 4, correct 

paragraphs (b)(15) through (17) to read 

as follows: 

(b) * * * 

(15) Ensuring that program 

participation does not exceed the State 

agency’s caseload allocation on an 

average monthly basis; 

(16) Making publicly available a list of 

all CSFP local agencies on a publicly 

available internet web page. The State 

agency must post the name, address, 

and telephone number for each local 

agency. The list must be updated, at a 

minimum, on an annual basis; and 

(17) Posting the State Plan that is 

currently in use on a publicly available 

internet web page. 

* * * * * 

■ 2. § 247.9 [Corrected] 

■ i. On page 87245, in the first and 

second columns, in amendatory 

instruction 9 correct paragraphs (b)(1) 

and (d)(3)(xxiv) to read as follows: 

(b) * * * 

(1) The State agency may accept as 

income-eligible for CSFP benefits any 

applicant that documents that they are 

certified as fully eligible for the 

following Federal programs: the 

Supplemental Nutrition Assistance 

Program, the Food Distribution Program 

on Indian Reservations, Supplemental 

Security Income (SSI), the Low Income 

Subsidy Program, or the Medicare 

Savings Programs. 

* * * * * 

(d) * * * 

(3) * * * 

(xxix) Payments to the Assiniboine 

Tribe of the Fort Belknap Indian 

community and the Assiniboine Tribe of 

the Fort Peck Indian Reservation 

(Montana) (Pub. L. 98–124, sec. 5); 

* * * * * 

■ 3. § 251.4 [Corrected] 

On page 87250, in the first column, 

instruction 26 for § 251.4, correct 

instruction 26.f. to read as follows: 

f. Removing the term ‘‘donated 

commodities’’ wherever it appears in 

paragraph (g) and adding in its place the 

term ‘‘USDA Foods’’; 

■ 4. § 253.2 [Corrected] 

On page 87254, in the first and second 

columns, in amendatory 36, correct the 

definitions of ‘‘Indian Tribal 

Organization (ITO) and ‘‘State agency’’ 

to read as follows: 

* * * * * 


khammond on DSK9W7S144PROD with RULES
104394 Federal Register / Vol. 89, No. 246 / Monday, December 23, 2024 / Rules and Regulations 

Indian Tribal Organization (ITO) 

means: 

(1) The recognized governing body of 

any Indian tribe on a reservation; or 

(2) The tribally recognized intertribal 

organization which the recognized 

governing bodies of two or more Indian 

tribes on a reservation authorize to 

operate SNAP or a Food Distribution 

Program on their behalf. 

* * * * * 

State agency means: 

(1) The agency of State government, 

including the local offices thereof, 

which enters into an agreement with 

FNS for the distribution of USDA Foods 

on all or part of an Indian reservation, 

and 

(2) The ITO of any Indian tribe, 

determined by the Department to be 

capable of effectively administering a 

Food Distribution Program, which 

enters into an agreement with FNS for 

the distribution of USDA Foods on all 

or part of an Indian reservation. 

(3) State agencies are also referred to 

as FDPIR administering agencies. 

■ 5. § 253.5 [Corrected] 

On page 87255, in the first column, in 

amendment 39, correct the section 

heading to read as follows: 

§ 253.5 State agency requirements. 

* * * * * 

■ 6. § 253.6 [Corrected] 

■ i. On page 87255, in the second 

column, in amendment 40, correct 

paragraphs (a)(2), (d)(3)(vii); and (e)(1) 

to read as follows: 

* * * * * 

(a) * * * 

(2) Nonhousehold members. The 

following individuals residing with a 

household shall not be considered 

household members in determining the 

household’s eligibility. Nonhousehold 

members specified in paragraphs (a)(2) 

(i) and (iv) who are otherwise eligible 

may participate in the Program as 

separate households. 

* * * * * 

(d) * * * 

(3) * * * 

(vii) The earned income (as defined in 

paragraph (d)(2)(i) of this section) of 

children who are members of the 

household, who are students at least 

half time and who have not attained 

their eighteenth birthday. * * * 

* * * * * 

(e) Income deductions—(1) Earned 

income deduction. Households with 

earned income, as defined in paragraph 

(d)(2)(i) of this section, shall be allowed 

a deduction of twenty percent of their 

gross earned income. Earned income 

excluded under paragraph (d)(3) of this 

section shall not be considered earned 

income for the purpose of computing 

this deduction. 

* * * * * 

Tameka Owens, 

Acting Administrator and Assistant 

Administrator, Food and Nutrition Service. 

[FR Doc. 2024–30575 Filed 12–20–24; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3410–30–P 

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 

Agricultural Marketing Service 

7 CFR Part 1210 

[Doc. No. AMS–SC–24–0020] 

Watermelon Research and Promotion 

Plan; Increased Assessment Rate 

AGENCY: Agricultural Marketing Service 

(AMS), Department of Agriculture 

(USDA). 

ACTION: Final rule. 

SUMMARY: This final rule implements a 

recommendation from the National 

Watermelon Promotion Board to 

increase the assessment rate from six 

cents per hundredweight to nine cents 

per hundredweight. Domestic 

watermelon producers of 10 acres or 

more and domestic first handlers of 

watermelons will each pay four and a 

half cents per hundredweight, and 

importers of 150,000 pounds or more 

annually of watermelons will pay nine 

cents per hundredweight. This final rule 

also amends current regulatory language 

to correct non-substantive and 

typographical errors. 

DATES: This rule is effective January 22, 

2025. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

William Hodges, Marketing Specialist, 

Mid-Atlantic Region Branch, Market 

Development Division, Specialty Crops 

Program, AMS, USDA, 1400 

Independence Avenue SW, Room 1406– 

S, STOP 0244, Washington, DC 20250– 

0244; Telephone: (443) 571–8456; or 

Email: William.Hodges2@usda.gov. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This final 

rule affecting the Watermelon Research 

and Promotion Plan (7 CFR part 1210) 

(Plan) is authorized under the 

Watermelon Research and Promotion 

Act (7 U.S.C. 4901–4916) (Act). 

Executive Orders 12866, 13563, and 

14094 

USDA is issuing this rule in 

conformance with Executive Orders 

12866, 13563, and 14094. Executive 

Orders 12866 and 13563 direct agencies 

to assess all costs and benefits of 

available regulatory alternatives and, if 

regulation is necessary, to select 

regulatory approaches that maximize 

net benefits (including potential 

economic, environmental, public health 

and safety effects, distributive impacts, 

and equity). Executive Order 13563 

emphasizes the importance of 

quantifying both costs and benefits, 

reducing costs, harmonizing rules, and 

promoting flexibility. Executive Order 

14094 reaffirms, supplements, and 

updates Executive Order 12866 and 

further directs agencies to solicit and 

consider input from a wide range of 

affected and interested parties through a 

variety of means. This rule is not a 

significant regulatory action within the 

meaning of Executive Order 12866. 

Accordingly, this action has not been 

reviewed by the Office of Management 

and Budget under sec. 6 of the 

Executive order. 

Executive Order 13175 

This action was reviewed in 

accordance with the requirements of 

Executive Order 13175, Consultation 

and Coordination with Indian Tribal 

Governments, which requires agencies 

to consider whether their rulemaking 

actions will have Tribal implications. 

AMS has determined that this rule is 

unlikely to have substantial direct 

effects on one or more Indian Tribes, or 

the relationship between the Federal 

Government and Indian Tribes, or on 

the distribution of power and 

responsibilities between the Federal 

Government and Indian Tribes. 

Executive Order 12988 

This rule was reviewed under 

Executive Order 12988, Civil Justice 

Reform. It is not intended to have 

retroactive effect. The Act provides that 

it shall not affect or preempt any other 

Federal or State law authorizing 

promotion or research relating to an 

agricultural commodity. 

Under sec. 1650 of the Act (7 U.S.C. 

4909), a person may file a written 

petition with the Secretary of 

Agriculture (Secretary) if they believe 

that the Plan, any provision of the Plan, 

or any obligation imposed in connection 

with the Plan, is not in accordance with 

the law. In any petition, the person may 

request a modification of the Plan or an 

exemption from the Plan. The petitioner 

will have the opportunity for a hearing 

on the petition. Afterwards, an 

Administrative Law Judge (ALJ) will 

issue a decision. If the petitioner 

disagrees with the ALJ’s ruling, the 

petitioner has 30 days to appeal to the 

Judicial Officer, who will issue a ruling 

on behalf of the Secretary. If the 

petitioner disagrees with the Secretary’s 

ruling, the petitioner may file, within 20 

days, an appeal in the U.S. District 


khammond on DSK9W7S144PROD with RULES